Ravens’ Bernard Pollard is Often Nude, Thinks the NFL ‘Won’t Exist in 2043′

Baltimore Ravens safety Bernard Pollard and the quip-hungry, Super Bowl media zombies were made for each other. Over the weekend, Pollard established himself as the go-to quote machine for Super Bowl XLVII when a New York Times profile mentioned that he often does interviews without wearing any clothing, especially pants.

"When local journalists gave Pollard their "good guy" award after the 2011 season for being accommodating, they presented him with a pair of boxer shorts, in the hope that he would wear them. His own teammates have encouraged him to use a towel or two."

Right. Recorders out; pants off. Knowing that Pollard likes to, uh, stand out among his fellow players, the media is likely to ask him questions on the Super Bowl, the Ravens, the 49ers and the NFL in general. Speaking as bluntly as he hits on the field, Pollard said recently that the NFL might not be around in 30 years.

"Thirty years from now, I don't think it will be in existence. I could be wrong. It's just my opinion, but I think with the direction things are going -- where they [NFL rules makers] want to lighten up, and they're throwing flags and everything else -- there's going to come a point where fans are going to get fed up with it."

Pollard went on to say players are upset about fines for hits and have suggested that the NFL start to strip away some of the equipment — like helmets and pads — that can be a dangerous weapon and a protective shield. He also suggested a player could soon die on the field.

You know those athletes that speak in nothing but cliched, sports terms like 'taking it one game at a time,' 'giving 110 percent,' and 'taking it to the next level?' Bernard Pollard is not one of those athletes. You'll be hearing a lot from him leading up to the Super Bowl.